Supporting structure for tanks.



No. 839,942. PATENTED JAN. l, 1907. A. K. MANSPIELD.

. SUPPORTNG- STRUCTURE FOR TANKS.

APPLoATIoH FILED JULY 25, 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Nm SBSMQ. PATENTED JAN. l, 1907. A. K. MANSPIELD.

SUPPORTNG STRUCTURE FOB, TANKS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY z5, less.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2,

- I 1/v E y@ @6 LW f4 if# Jz Mornago ALBERT K. MANSFIELD, OF BATAVIA, ILLlNOlS. SU :PQFT I"II\\\C1`|A STRUCTURE FOR TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ean. l, 190V.

pasean nea July 25, 1906. serai No. 327,621.

To all wlwwt it may ecncrn:

Beit known that LALBERT K. MANsFiELD,

` a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Batavia, county of Kane, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful. Improvement in Supporting Structures for. Tanks; and l declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to elevated tanks, and more particularly to a supporting structure for such tanks.

The-weight oil-an elevated tank, especially one of large capacity, is se great thatit is necessary to provide a supporting structure oi' great strength and at the same time one which will oiier the least surface to the action of the wind. It is also necessary that l the structure should support the bottom of the tank at a number ol' points in order that the Weight of the water may not cause leak` a e.

gThe primary object of my invention is to provide a supporting structure i'or elevated tanks which will comprise a plurality of upiight columns so arranged as to form a strong supporting structure and one which will ai- Jford )an extended support for the bottom of the tank.

A further object of my invention is to provide a supporting structure for elevated tanks which will be simple in construction,

economical to build, and durable in `isc.

The embodiment of my invention herein 'disclosed may be generally described as comprising `a central upright column composed of two angle-irons rigidly secured together, with their anges extend in op osite div rections, a plurality of upright co umns located around and -spaced equal distances from the central column, each oi said plural-` ity of columns composed of two angle-irons rigidlyl secured together, with their flangesprojecting on opposite sides of a radial line om the central column, tie-rods rigidly unitlng eacli of the surrounding columns to the central column, braces and girths uniting the alined ilanges of adjacent columns, a central horizontal beam supported upon the central column and the surrounding columns alining therewith, parallel horizontal beams supported on `the opposite sides of the central beam upon the upper ends of a pair of alining columns, and a plurality of Lil-beams supported transversely upon the hcrizontal beams upon which the bottom oi' the tank rests.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same is illus trated as embodied in a convenient and/practical form, and in whicli- Figure l is an elevational view; Fig. 2,y an enlarged sectional view on line 2 2, Fig. l Fig. 3, an enlarged plan view oi the top ci the supporting structure upon which the bottom of the tank rests; and Fig, 4, a sectional view on line 4 4, Fig. 3.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parte in the several iigures of the drawings; v

Reference-letter A designates a tank of any suitable construction supported in an elevated position by my improved structure.

Reference-letter B indicates a central up right column, preferably composed oit two angle-irons B and idg, united with their api ces together by means ci angle-brackets t and b2.

Reference characters C', (32,6%, C4, G5, and

C designate upright columns surrounding' and preferably arranged at equal distances of' two angle-irons c and c2, rigidly united with their apices adjacent each other by means of angle-brackets c. The angle-irons forming each of the surrounding columns-are so united by the brackets c that the flanges on the ad'acentcolumns will aline, as clearly shown' in ig. 2. When six surrounding eolunms are employed, the inner flanges ci" the' angle-irons of each column form an angle ol one hundred and twenty degrees in order that the flanges on adjacent columns may aline.

rlhe alined` flanges of the suiroundin `columns are rigidly united by `a series of 'lorizontal braces, (indicated in Fig. l byreierence characters F F2 F3 F4.) The angle-braces c are preferably located in each of the horizontal planes pf the several serios of braces. The panels ofuthc supporting structure com i posed oi the upright columns formed by thelos,

several series oi horizontal braces are preferably of gradually-increasing height upward ly in order, that the strength ojf the structure may be gradually increased. toward its base,`

thereby rendering it universal to use columns oi uniform cross-section and at the: same time having the increased strength near the base of the structure necessary to support'the increased load imposed upon it. In order to increase the rigidity of' the structure, a series of crossed diagonals unite the alined flanges ol the columns intermediate of the several. series of horizontal braces. f A

f designates the crossed diagonale .intermediate of the foundations C of the columns and the lowest series lll of horizontalbraces.

vThe succeedingr series of crossed tic-rods are designated by reference characters j "f1, jf, ft and v Each oi the respective surrmindingcolumns is united to the central column B by radial tie rods, (designated by characters D, 132,133, Dt, D5, and W.) Each ol` such tie-` rods is secured to a block l), interposed be'- 'tWeen the outside flanges of the two angleirons united to form each column. The tierod passes between the apices ot the 'united an gledrons and. is secured at its opposite end to a yoke E, such yoke being secured to one ol the flanges oi the united angle-irons forming the central column. The yokes unitingr thel ,inner ends of the ticrods D and l)i to the central column are secured' directly to the alining vflanges oli the angle-irons B and B2. .lhe 'yokcs uniting:r the tierods D2 and 1) are connected to brackets e and e2., rigidly secured to the same liange of the angle-iron B2, while the yokes uniting the tie-rods Ui and D are connectcd to brackets c and et, secured to the same flange of the anglearon B. llorizontal .i-beams Gr, G2, and lli are supported uponv the upper ends of the columns, the central beam. G2 lying)r directly above the central column and the alining surrounding columns C and C4. The beam (lrosts i'rearitseud upon the coluiun Uf and C, ".vhile the b cam Gi* is su p ported upon the columns Ci' and C, The herr/anual l-beams may be ol tl e same crossst-ction., owing 'to the fact that the central one, which. is the longest, is supported upon three columns, While the shorter beams G and G" are each supported upon two columns, malo ing' the x'uoments actingT at the beams approximately the same. The beams l', G, and G3 are united by transverse. beams g', g1", o, and g* in order that they may be rigidly held in upright position tolorma base i'or the tank.

ll designates a plurality of parallel ilbeams supported transversely upon the beams (l, GB, and Gf. The beams ll are` ol" `gnnluatcd lengths, so that they will lie within the lower edge ot' the side wall ot the tank and directly support the bottom wall il thereof. H beams il are arranged so close together that they 'will' allord an eritended support forA the bottom of the tank, and thereby render unnecessary the use of the usual woodenbeams intermediate of the supporting structure andbottom ofthe tank.

WA" 'indicates a platform surrounding the bottom of the tank and Which -nlay conveniently be provided with a hand-rail a2. The platform rests upon beams H', H2, l-l, and H4. TheV beam H rests ,upon short beams lt, alined with. and supported by certain ofthe beams ll. Similar beams' h. support the beam H3. The beams H2 and H* are supported byshort beams Wand h",respectively, projecting beneath and supported by the adjacent l-beams il. K, K2', K3, and K4 designate additional beams for supportingl the platform A, which are located intermediate of the beams H', H, H3, and H and rest upon the supporting-beams lt, h2, h3, and h4.

Nhile l have shown my improved supporting structure as comprising six columns ar l ranged around a central column, yet it will be obvious that a greater or less number of surrounding columns may be employed, according to the size of the tank which is to be supported.` lt is also evident that any number of radial 4tiofrods maybe employed necessary to securely unite vthe surrounding colvumns to the central column. Preferably,how-

ever, the radial tic-rods are located in the same horizontal planes as the horizontal braces F', F2, ll, and l.

From the foregoing description it Will be observed that l have invented an improved supportingstructure vto r elevated tanks which though simple and economical in. construction allords a strong and durable supi'ort tor a tank ol large capacity, and also oll'ers little surlace to action ollv the wind.

Having; nov.T fully described my invention, what .l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l: .ln :i supporting structure il'or tanks, the combination with a central column, of a plu ralitj;Y ol columns surroundingT said central colunln, liu-ans connecting said central column n'ith each ol the surrormdinp columns, means lor uniting the adjacent surrounding columns., and means vfor supporting a tank upon the upper ends ot said columns.

ln a supporting: structure for tanks, the combination with a central colui'un, ot' a plurality ot columns surrounding said central column, means connecting;` said central column with each of the surrounding columns, means 'for uniting the adjacent surrounding columns, a horizontal beam supported upon said cemral column, and the two alininfg` surrounding columns, parallel horizontal beams ut each side ol' said central beam, and each supported upon two ot said surrounding columns, and means to empportingv a tank uponsad beams.

in a supporting` structure for tanks, the

' said central column, and

ascesa column, means connecting said central col-,

umn witheacliof the surrounding columns, means for uniting 'the adjacent surrounding columns, a horizontal beam supported upon .the two alining surrounding columns, parallel horizontal beams at each side of said central beams and each supported at its ends upon two of said sur" rounding columns', parallel l-beams supported transversely u on said horizontalbeams and arranged suV ciently close together to form an extended support for the bottom of a tanlr. e. f'

4. In a supporting structure for tanks, the combination with a central column', of six columns surrounding and spaced equal distances from said central column, means connecting said centralacolumn to surrounding columns, means connecting ad jacent surrounding columns, and means for supporting a tank upon the upper ends of sai column. l

5. ln a supporting' structure for tanks, the combination with a central column, of sir; columns surrounding and spaced equal distances from said central column, means con nectinglsaid central column to each of said surrounding columns, means connecting adjacent surrounding columns, a horizontal beam supported upony said central column and the two alining surrounding columns,

parallel horizontal beams of the same crosssection but shorter than said central beam located on each side of said central beam and each supported upon two oic said surrounding columns, and means for supporting a tanlr upon said beams.

46. ln a supporting structure for tanks, the combination with a central column composed of two angle-irons rigidly united with their anges extending in opposite direc- 'tions,of a plurality oic columns surrounding said central column, tie-rods connecting each oifsaid'surrounding columns with one of the lianges of the angle-irons composing said central column, means for uniting the Iadjacent surrounding columns, and means for eachof said uniting the `ralined flanges `surrounding columns, and

supporting a tanlr 4upon the upper ends orp vsaid columns.

7. ln a supporting structure for tanks, the

combination with a central column of a plurality of columns surrounding'said central column each composed of two angle-irons united at such an angle that the flanges on adjacent columns aline, means connecting said central ,columnwith each of the said surrounding columns, means rigidly uniting the alined flanges of'adjacent surroundin r columns, and means for supporting a ta t upon the upper ends of said columns.

' ln a supporting structure for tanks' tlie combination with a central column, of a plurality'of columns surrounding said central columneacli composed of two angle-irons united alt-such an angle that the flanges on adjacent columns aline, a radial tie-rod extending between the angle-irons of each of `the surrounding columns to said central column, a block interposed between the outer flanges of each of said surrounding columns engaged. by the radial tie-rod, means for of' the adjacent means for supporting a tank upon the ends of said columns.

9.1-ln aasupporting structure for tanks, the

comomation with a central column composed of two angle-irons rigidly united with their flanges extending in opposite direc tions of a plurality of columns surrounding said central columns each lcomposed oi' two angledrons rigidly united at suoli an angle that the llanges on adjacent "columnsv aline, radial tiercds connected at their inner ends to the 'flanges of the angle-irons forming said central column and secured at their outer ends between the angle-irons forming the several surrounding columns, means for uniting the alining flanges on adjacent columns, and means for supporting the tank upon the upper ends of said columns.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

Gno. L. WILKINSON, HARRY S. GAITHER. 

